New Guinea Impatiens plant named `Electra Royale`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named `Electra Royale`, characterized by its numerous, large. rounded purple flowers; flowers held above the foliage; freely branching, dense and bushy plant habit; moderately vigorous and compact, rounded, almost spherical plant habit; and dark green and glossy foliage.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name `Electra Royale`.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventors in Coquille, Oreg. The objective of the breeding program was to develop varieties with uniform plant habit, attractive flower colors, good flower form, and numerous flowers per plant.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made in Feb., 1994, by the inventors of two unnamed proprietary seedling selections.

The cultivar `Electra Royale` was discovered and selected by the inventors as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Coquille, Oreg. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Coquille, Oreg. has shown that the unique features of this new New Guinea Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of `Electra Royale`. These characteristics in combination distinguish the new New Guinea Impatiens as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Large purple flowers.

2. Flowers held above the foliage.

3. Rounded flower form.

4. Numerous flowers per plant.

5. Freely branching, dense and bushy plant habit.

6. Moderately vigorous and compact, rounded, almost spherical plant habit.

7. Dark green and glossy foliage.

In contrast to plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens, plants of the male proprietary seedling selection are taller, not as freely branching, have larger leaves and fewer flowers.

In contrast to plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens, plants of the female proprietary seedling selection have smaller flowers and flower color is red.

The new New Guinea Impatiens is similar in flower color to the New Guinea Impatiens cultivar `Papete` (disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,457). However in side-by-side comparisons in Coquille, Oreg., under commercial practice, plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar`Papete` in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are rounded in plant shape whereas plants of the cultivar `Papete` are more upright.

2. Stem color of plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens is green with red tones whereas stem color of plants of the cultivar `Papete` is red.

3. Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens flower about 1.5 weeks earlier than flowers of plants of the cultivar `Papete`.

4. Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens have more flowers per lateral stem than of plants of the cultivar `Papete`.

5. Flowers of plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are displayed above the foliage whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar `Papete` are often down in the foliage.

6. Flowers of plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are larger than flowers of plants of the cultivar `Papete`.

7. Flowers of plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are round in shape with petals overlapping whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar `Papete` are star-shaped with gaps between the petals.

A detailed comparison of plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens and the cultivar `Papete` appears in Chart A at the end of the specification.

The new New Guinea Impatiens has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature and light level, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and flower color of the new New Guinea Impatiens, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The first photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of the new New Guinea Impatiens.

The second photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical plants of the cultivar `Papete` (left) and the new New Guinea Impatiens (right) showing the differences in plant and flowering habit.

Flower and foliage colors in the photographs may appear different from the actual colors due to light reflectance.

The following observations, measurements, values, and comparisons describe plants grown in Coquille, Oreg., grown under double layer of polyethylene with day temperatures ranging from 23 to 30C. and night temperatures ranging from 10 to 18C., and light levels ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 footcandles.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar `Electra Royale`.

Parentage:

Male or pollen parent.--Unnamed proprietary seedling selection.

Female or seed parent.--Unnamed proprietary seedling selection.

Propagation:

Type cutting.--Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.--About 24 days at a temperature of 20C.

Rooting habit.--Numerous, fibrous, and well-branched.

Plant description:

Form.--Rounded, almost spherical plant form.

Growth habit.--Moderately vigorous and compact. Freely branching, dense ad bushy growth. Flowers above or beyond the foliage. Suitable for 10 to 25-cm containers. Leaves horizontal to plant.

Plant height.--About 16 cm.

Lateral branches.--Size: Length: About 11 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Color: 146A with red, 59A, tones.

Foliage description.--Leaves simple, generally symmetrical, abundant, opposite or in whorls of three, horizontal to plant and flat in aspect. Size, largest leaves: Length: About 8 cm. Width: About 3 cm. Shape: Ovate with acuminate apex, attenuate base and ciliate margin. Texture: Smooth, glossy. Color: Upper surface: 147A. Lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper surface: 147B, red at proximal end. Venation, lower surface: 59A. Petiole: Size: Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Color: Lighter than 59A.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.--Large purple flowers. Freely and continuously flowering. Flowers arise from leaf axils. Usually six flowers per lateral branch. Flowers positioned above or beyond the foliage and face upward or outward. Flowers flat and rounded. Flowers self-cleaning.

Time to flower.--Flowering generally commences four to six weeks after planting.

Flowering season.--Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In the garden, flowering is continuous from spring until fall.

Flower size.--Length: About 6 cm. Width: About 6.5 cm. Depth: About 3.5 mm.

Flower buds.--Size: Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 74B.

Petals.--Size (largest petals): Length: Top petal: About 2.5 cm. Middle petals: About 3.25 cm. Bottom petals: About 3 cm. Width: Top petal: About 4 cm. Middle petals: About 3 cm. Bottom petals: About 3.5 cm. Shape: Cordate with emarginate apex, cuneate or obtuse base and entire margin. Texture: Velvety, smooth. Color: When opening, upper surface: Iridescent, 74A. When opening, lower surface: Iridescent, 74B. Mature, upper surface: Iridescent, 74A. Mature, lower surface: Iridescent, 74B. Fading to: Iridescent, 74A.

Spur.--Length: About 5 cm. Shape: Narrow and curved. Color: 59A.

Peduncles.--Length: About 4.5 cm. Angle: Upright. Strength: Strong. Color: 146B with 59A overtones.

Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Anther shape: Lobate. Anther size: About 5 mm. Anther color: 59A at base, white at apex. Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: White. Gynoecium: Stigma color: White. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color: Green. Ovary color: Green.

Disease resistance: Under commercial conditions, resistance nor susceptibility to pathogens has not been observed.

                  CHART A                                                          ______________________________________                                         CHARACTERISTIC                                                                              ELECTRA ROYALE                                                                               PAPETE                                              ______________________________________                                         PLANT SHAPE  Rounded, almost                                                                              Upright                                                          spherical                                                         PLANT HEIGHT About 16 cm   About 15 cm                                         LATERAL BRANCH                                                                              About 11 cm   About 10 cm                                         LENGTH                                                                         LATERAL BRANCH                                                                              About 7 mm    About 7.5 mm                                        DIAMETER                                                                       STEM COLOR   146A with red (59A)                                                                          59A                                                              tones                                                             PETIOLE LENGTH                                                                              About 1.3 cm  About 1.5 cm                                        PETIOLE      About 3.5 cm  About 3 mm                                          DIAMETER                                                                       PETIOLE COLOR                                                                               Light than 59A                                                                               59A                                                 FLOWER       Flowers above Flowers down in                                     POSITION     the foliage   the foliage                                         TIME TO      1.5 weeks before                                                                             1.5 weeks after                                     FLOWER       Papete        Electra Royale                                      QUANTITY OF  About 6       About 4                                             FLOWERS AND                                                                    BUDS PER                                                                       LATERAL STEM                                                                   FLOWER SHAPE Rounded, petals                                                                              Star-shaped, gaps                                                overlapping   between petals                                      FLOWER SIZE  6 by 6.5 cm   5.5 by 5.5 cm                                       SPUR LENGTH  About 5 cm    About 5.5 cm                                        WHEN OPENING 74A           74B                                                 PETAL COLOR,                                                                   UPPER SURFACE                                                                  WHEN OPENING 74B           74C                                                 PETAL COLOR,                                                                   LOWER SURFACE                                                                  MATURE PETAL 74A           74B                                                 COLOR,                                                                         UPPER SURFACE                                                                  MATURE PETAL 74B           74C                                                 COLOR,                                                                         LOWER SURFACE                                                                  PEDUNCLE     146B with 59A 59B with green                                      COLOR        overtones     overtones                                           ______________________________________                                     

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct New Guinea Impatiens plant named `Electra Royale`, as illustrated and described. 